Abstract
The period between the elections for the 21st Knesset and the inauguration of the 36th government was unstable for politicians, parties, and the Arab public as a whole. This chapter argues that this instability is rooted in how the Arab parties and politicians attempt to construct a new Israeli identity among their electorate – a non-Zionist Israeli Identity. We describe the characteristics of the non-Zionist Israeli identity, explain what led to its development, and point out its main political manifestations. This chapter presents a distinction between the orientation of the shrunken Joint List (that includes Hadash, Balad, and Ta’al only) and that of Ra’am, headed by Mansur Abbas. While the former emphasizes the Palestinian identity, the importance of Israeli citizenship, and the aim to democratize Israel, the latter stresses Arab identity, local issues, and a conservative agenda.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | The Elections in Israel, 2019–2021 |
Editors | Michal Shamir, Gideon Rahat |
Place of Publication | London |
Publisher | Routledge |
Chapter | 11 |
Number of pages | 21 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781003267911 |
State | Published - 2022 |